Random Thoughts From Last Week

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Loving yourself doesn’t mean giving into your every desire. Somewhere along the way I feel many have decided that’s the case. Love = never disappointing and never saying no. That's not true though. Indulgence without sacrifice is not self love.

Nikon Z6, ISO 100, 25mm, f/16, 1/6 sec [McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, Texas]

Why do so many parents just take the easy way out when it comes to their kids? I’m guilty in some instances, but hopefully not where it counts. See below… and maybe also above.

Effort up front saves you time and heartache in the end. Trust me. Why are we so hesitant to give it?

I haven’t had a pimple in over 6 months because I use a cleansing brush twice a week. I just feel like everyone should know that and get one to help clear out your pores and keep your face nice and smooth. I use this one from Amazon.

That’s an affiliate link and I may earn a tiny commission, but your price doesn’t change.

“I ate that growing up and I turned out fine.” - Literally everyone with a chronic health problem

…But did you though?

Soooooo is there a certain age women become bird watchers? Because I feel like it’s 38.

….It’s definitely 38.

Nikon Z6, ISO 1000, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec [Airport Park, Waco, Texas}]

What possessed me to buy completely white shoes? That was dumb. I blame Instagram.

Why even say anything at all if the message in a nutshell is…

“The plan was always to eliminate your position, but know that people are fighting for your position.”

Just stop talking because you’re just making yourself look like an ass. I’d rather be takin pictures.

Nikon Z6, ISO 1000, Lensbaby Edge 35, 1/4000 sec [Austin, Texas]

The Picture That Sums up Why we Bought a Camper / Our Trip to McKinney Falls State Park

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I promised myself I’d start blogging about our camping trips once we actually started taking them. I wasn’t sure what these blog posts would be exactly. I’m pretty sure I was thinking at some point I would become some sort of camping expert and people would flock to my blog to hear about our trips and what cool things I did/cooked that they too need to be doing, but I’m not sure this is where that is going. Big dreams, huh? I feel inspired for like 5 minutes and then it’s gone so…. Also, like, I’m never going to be that person. EVER. I don’t have my shit nearly enough together for that.

This morning I edited a picture from our trip that basically sums up our reason for buying a camper and trying to take a camping trip every month. Do you want to see it? Not that your answer matters because I’m going to show it to you whether you want to or not.

Here it is…

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You: But Monica, that’s just a blurry photo of your child swinging on her hammock. How could that possibly sum up your reasons for buying a camper?

Me: Um no, it’s not. That photo right there is a feeling.

But for real, the out of focus element of this image is giving me this out of body experience where time has slowed significantly and I’m just exactly where I’m supposed to be. It’s that thing I was reaching for when we bought our camper. It’s that thing I’ve wasted the past 6 months or so of my life anxiously awaiting. It’s that thing we’ve been missing in this life that doesn’t ever seem to slow down. It just goes faster and faster and faster and we were afraid that before we knew it we’d wake up and our kids would be grown and we would have let the opportunity for these kinds of experiences pass us up.

It’s easy to skip these things over. It’s easy to say, “Well, life is just to damn busy to stop right now.” We live in a world where we have to intentionally schedule time to slow down and so that’s what we’re doing.

Me: You wanna see more of my favorites from this trip to McKinney Falls State Park?

You: Yes, Monica. I can’t think of anything I’d love more.

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Where we stayed: McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas

Campsite: 18, (1 of 12 50 amp sites with water and electric). Very large pull through campsite with one site very close by (worked out fine because they never came out of their camper) and next to the bathrooms which turned out to not be a big deal at all. In fact when Corbin pooped in his pull up we were just thankful there was a dumpster nearby.